Religion in Northern Ireland#Minor religions
{{short description|none}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Northern Ireland - 2021
|label1 = Catholic Church
|value1 = 42.3
|color1 = DarkOrchid
|label2 = Presbyterian Church in Ireland
|value2 = 16.6
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|label3 = Church of Ireland
|value3 = 11.5
|color3 = Red
|label4 = Methodist Church in Ireland
|value4 = 2.4
|color4 = DarkOrange
|label5 = Other Christian
|value5 = 6.9
|color5 = Gold
|label6 = Other religion
|value6 = 1.3
|color6 = RosyBrown
|label7 = Non-religious
|value7 = 17.4
|color7 = WhiteSmoke
|label8 = Not stated
|value8 = 1.5
|color8 = Black
}}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Percentages of the religiously raised (2021)
|label1 = Catholicism
|value1 = 45.7
|color1 = DarkOrchid
|label2 = Other Christians
|value2 = 43.5
|color2 = DodgerBlue
|label3 = Other
|value3 = 1.5
|color3 = Chartreuse
|label4 = None
|value4 = 9.3
|color4 = WhiteSmoke
}}
Christianity is the largest religion in Northern Ireland. In the 2021 census, 79.7% of the Northern Irish population identified as Christians: Catholic (42.3%); Presbyterian (16.6%); Church of Ireland (11.5%); Methodist (2.4%); Other Christian (6.9%). Meanwhile, 1.3% of the population belonged to other religions, 17.4% stated they were non-religious and 1.5% did not state a religious or non-religious identity.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/sites/nisra.gov.uk/files/publications/2011-census-results-key-statistics-press-release-11-december-2012.pdf|title=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency Census 2011: Key Statistics for Northern Ireland}} The Catholic Church has seen a small growth in adherents, while the other recorded Christian groups have seen a decrease.
There are also small Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Buddhist and Jewish communities. Belfast has a synagogue, a gurdwara, a mosque and two Hindu temples. There is another gurdwara in Derry.
Statistics
The 2001, 2011, and 2021 Census figures for Religion (not Religion or Religion Brought Up In) are set out below.
| class="wikitable"
!rowspan="2"|Religion !colspan="2"|2011{{cite web|title=Census 2011: Religion: KS211NI (administrative geographies) |url=http://www.ninis2.nisra.gov.uk/public/Theme.aspx?themeNumber=136&themeName=Census%202011 |publisher=nisra.gov.uk|access-date=11 December 2012}}{{cite web|title=Census 2011: Key Statistics for Northern Ireland|url=http://www.nisra.gov.uk/Census/key_stats_bulletin_2011.pdf|publisher=nisra.gov.uk|access-date=11 December 2012}} !colspan="2"|2021{{cite web|url=https://www.nisra.gov.uk/system/files/statistics/census-2021-ms-b21.xlsx|title=MS-B21: Religion|publisher=Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency|date= 22 September 2022|accessdate=7 January 2023}} | ||||
| Number
!% !Number !% !Number !% | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|Catholic | align=right|678,462 | align=right|40.2 | align=right|738,033 | align=right|40.8
|805,151 |42.3 |
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|Presbyterian | align=right|348,742 | align=right|20.7 | align=right|345,101 | align=right|19.1
|316,103 |16.6 |
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|Church of Ireland | align=right|257,788 | align=right|15.3 | align=right|248,821 | align=right|13.7
|219,788 |11.5 |
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|Methodist | align=right|59,173 | align=right|3.5 | align=right|54,253 | align=right|3.0
|44,725 |2.4 |
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|Other Christian | align=right|102,221 | align=right|6.1 | align=right|104,380 | align=right|5.8
|130,385 |6.9 |
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|(Total non-Catholic Christian) | align=right|767,924 | align=right|45.6 | align=right|752,555 | align=right|41.6
|711,001 |37.4 |
| style="background:#E0F0FF;"|(Total Christian) | align=right|1,446,386 | align=right|85.8 | align=right|1,490,588 | align=right|82.3
|1,516,152 |79.7 |
| style="background:#F0E0F0;"|Other religion | align=right|5,028 | align=right|0.3 | align=right|14,859 | align=right|0.8
|25,524 |1.3 |
| style="background:#F5F5F5;"|No religion | rowspan="2" align="right" |233,853 | rowspan="2" align="right" |13.9 | align="right" |183,164 | align=right|10.1
|330,983 |17.4 |
| style="background:#DCDCDC;"|Religion not stated | align="right" |122,252 | align=right|6.8
|30,529 |1.6 | ||
| Total population | align=right|1,685,267 | align=right|100.0 | align=right|1,810,863 | align=right|100.0
|1,903,188 |100.0 |
As of the 2021 census, regarding religious background, four of the six traditional counties had a Catholic majority, one had a Protestant plurality, and one had a Protestant majority.{{cite web |title=Religion or religion brought up in |url=https://build.nisra.gov.uk/en/custom/data?d=PEOPLE&v=COUNTY_NI&v=RELIGION_BELONG_TO_OR_BROUGHT_UP_IN_DVO&%7ECOUNTY_NI=6 |website=NISRA |access-date=17 August 2023}}
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right" | ||||||
| colspan="7" |Religion or religious background of Northern Ireland residents by county | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="2" |Religion / religion of upbringing
! rowspan="2" |Antrim ! rowspan="2" |Armagh ! rowspan="2" |Londonderry ! rowspan="2" |Down ! rowspan="2" |Fermanagh ! rowspan="2" |Tyrone | ||||||
| style="font-size:85%" | ||||||
| style="text-align:left" | Catholic | 40.1% | 58.2% | 61.3% | 32.3% | 58.8% | 66.5% |
| style="text-align:left" | Protestant and other Christian | 47.0% | 34.0% | 32.5% | 53.5% | 35.5% | 28.9% |
| style="text-align:left" | Other religions | 2.1% | 1.2% | 0.9% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| style="text-align:left" | No religion nor religious upbringing | 10.8% | 6.7% | 5.3% | 12.7% | 4.6% | 4.0% |
The religious affiliations in the local authority districts (themselves not merged since 2011" of Northern Ireland were as follows:
File:Religion Northern Ireland Districts 2011 Census.png
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"
!rowspan="2"|District | ||||||
| Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other | Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:left"| Antrim | 35.2% | 47.2% | 17.6% | 37.5% | 43.2% | 19.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| Ards | 10.4% | 68.7% | 20.9% | 10.9% | 65.4% | 23.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| Armagh | 45.4% | 45.5% | 9.1% | 44.8% | 43.0% | 12.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| Ballymena | 19.0% | 67.8% | 13.3% | 20.4% | 63.3% | 16.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| Ballymoney | 29.5% | 59.1% | 11.3% | 29.6% | 56.7% | 13.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| Banbridge | 28.6% | 58.7% | 12.7% | 29.4% | 55.3% | 15.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| Belfast | 42.1% | 40.3% | 17.5% | 41.9% | 34.1% | 24.0% |
| style="text-align:left"| Carrickfergus | 6.5% | 70.4% | 23.1% | 7.6% | 67.2% | 25.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| Castlereagh | 15.8% | 64.9% | 19.3% | 19.5% | 57.3% | 23.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| Coleraine | 24.1% | 60.5% | 15.4% | 25.0% | 56.8% | 18.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| Cookstown | 55.2% | 38.0% | 6.8% | 55.1% | 34.0% | 11.0% |
| style="text-align:left"| Craigavon | 41.7% | 46.7% | 11.6% | 42.1% | 42.1% | 15.8% |
| style="text-align:left"| Derry | 70.9% | 20.8% | 8.4% | 67.4% | 19.4% | 13.1% |
| style="text-align:left"| Down | 57.1% | 29.2% | 13.7% | 57.5% | 27.1% | 15.4% |
| style="text-align:left"| Dungannon | 57.3% | 34.9% | 7.7% | 58.7% | 29.8% | 11.5% |
| style="text-align:left"| Fermanagh | 55.5% | 36.1% | 8.4% | 54.9% | 34.3% | 10.8% |
| style="text-align:left"| Larne | 22.2% | 61.9% | 15.9% | 21.8% | 59.7% | 18.5% |
| style="text-align:left"| Limavady | 53.1% | 36.1% | 10.7% | 56.0% | 34.3% | 9.7% |
| style="text-align:left"| Lisburn | 30.1% | 53.6% | 16.4% | 32.8% | 47.9% | 19.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| Magherafelt | 61.5% | 32.0% | 6.5% | 62.4% | 28.3% | 9.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| Moyle | 56.6% | 33.8% | 9.6% | 54.4% | 32.3% | 13.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| Newry and Mourne | 75.9% | 16.4% | 7.7% | 72.1% | 15.2% | 12.7% |
| style="text-align:left"| Newtownabbey | 17.1% | 64.5% | 18.4% | 19.9% | 57.8% | 22.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| North Down | 10.0% | 64.5% | 25.5% | 11.2% | 60.3% | 28.5% |
| style="text-align:left"| Omagh | 65.1% | 26.3% | 8.6% | 65.4% | 24.8% | 9.8% |
| style="text-align:left"| Strabane | 63.1% | 30.9% | 6.0% | 60.1% | 30.7% | 9.2% |
Religions broken down by place of birth in the 2011 census.
File:People of no religion in northern ireland.png
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right" | ||||
| Place of birth | Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other religion | None or not stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:left"| Northern Ireland | 88.7% | 92.9% | 49.7% | 81.1% |
| style="text-align:left"| England | 2.6% | 3.2% | 6.9% | 6.7% |
| style="text-align:left"| Scotland | 0.5% | 0.9% | 1.1% | 1.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| Wales | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| Republic of Ireland | 3.3% | 1.1% | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| Other EU: Member countries prior to 2004 expansion | 0.4% | 0.3% | 1.0% | 1.4% |
| style="text-align:left"| Other EU: Accession countries 2004 onwards | 3.1% | 0.3% | 1.8% | 3.5% |
| style="text-align:left"| Other | 1.4% | 1.1% | 37.3% | 3.8% |
The religious affiliations in the different age bands in the 2011 census were as follows:
File:Religion by age in northern ireland 2011.png
| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right" | ||||
| Ages attained (years) | Catholic | Protestant and other Christian | Other religion | None or not stated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:left"| 0 to 4 | 44.3% | 31.7% | 0.9% | 23.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| 5 to 9 | 45.5% | 36.1% | 0.7% | 17.7% |
| style="text-align:left"| 10 to 14 | 45.9% | 37.9% | 0.6% | 15.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| 15 to 19 | 44.8% | 37.6% | 0.6% | 17.0% |
| style="text-align:left"| 20 to 24 | 43.4% | 35.2% | 0.7% | 20.7% |
| style="text-align:left"| 25 to 29 | 44.8% | 33.1% | 1.1% | 21.0% |
| style="text-align:left"| 30 to 34 | 44.0% | 34.3% | 1.4% | 20.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| 35 to 39 | 41.5% | 37.8% | 1.2% | 19.5% |
| style="text-align:left"| 40 to 44 | 40.4% | 41.1% | 0.9% | 17.7% |
| style="text-align:left"| 45 to 49 | 40.0% | 42.8% | 0.8% | 16.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| 50 to 54 | 39.2% | 44.9% | 0.7% | 15.1% |
| style="text-align:left"| 55 to 59 | 38.1% | 46.5% | 0.8% | 14.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| 60 to 64 | 35.8% | 50.0% | 0.7% | 13.4% |
| style="text-align:left"| 65 to 69 | 33.7% | 54.4% | 0.7% | 11.2% |
| style="text-align:left"| 70 to 74 | 32.9% | 56.4% | 0.7% | 10.1% |
| style="text-align:left"| 75 to 79 | 32.0% | 58.1% | 0.6% | 9.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| 80 to 84 | 30.0% | 60.0% | 0.6% | 9.3% |
| style="text-align:left"| 85 to 89 | 28.1% | 61.8% | 0.5% | 9.6% |
| style="text-align:left"| 90 and over | 25.8% | 64.0% | 0.5% | 9.6% |
{{Religion in Northern Ireland/Census chart (stacked area)}}
{{Gallery
|title=Distribution of religions in Northern Ireland according to the 2011 census.
|width=325 | height=325
|align=center
|File:Catholic Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|Catholic
|File:Presbyterian Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|Presbyterian Church in Ireland
|File:Church of Ireland Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|Church of Ireland
|File:Methodism Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|Methodist Church in Ireland
|File:Other Christian Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|Other Christian
|File:Other Religions Northern Ireland Census 2011.png|Other Religion
}}
Christianity
{{main|Christianity in Ireland}}
File:ArmaghCICathedral.jpg is the seat of the head of the Anglican Church of Ireland.]]
File:St. Patrick's Cathedral (R.C.), Armagh - geograph.org.uk - 1414926.jpg is the seat of the head of the Catholic Archdiocese of Armagh.]]
File:Limavady Baptist Church.jpg, County Londonderry.]]
Christianity is the main religion in Northern Ireland. The 2011 UK census showed 40.8% Catholic, 19.1% Presbyterian Church, with the Church of Ireland having 13.7% and the Methodist Church 5.0%. Members of other Christian churches comprised 5.8%, 17% stated they have no religion or did not state a religion, and members of non-Christian religions were 0.8%.
The Catholic Church is the largest single church. The Church is organised into four provinces though these are not coterminous with the modern political division of Ireland. The seat of the Archbishop of Armagh, the Primacy of Ireland, is St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland, closely -but not formally - linked to the Church of Scotland in terms of theology and history, is the second-largest church and largest Protestant denomination. It is followed by the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the state church of Ireland until it was disestablished by the Irish Church Act 1869. In 2002, the much smaller Methodist Church in Ireland signed a covenant for greater co-operation and potential ultimate unity with the Church of Ireland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ireland.anglican.org/archives/pressreleases/prarchive2002/covstmt2.html|title=Church of Ireland - A Member of the Anglican Communion|website=www.ireland.anglican.org}} The Church of Ireland is part of the Anglican Communion.
Smaller Protestant denominations such as the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland amongst Presbyterians and the Open Brethren exist in many rural communities. The Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland and the Assemblies of God Ireland are also organised on an all-Ireland basis, though in the case of the Assemblies of God this was the result of a recent reorganisation.[http://www.eyeoneurope.org/articles/LaunchAGIreland.html Launch of the Assemblies of God Ireland] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150514110006/http://www.eyeoneurope.org/articles/LaunchAGIreland.html |date=14 May 2015 }} eyeoneurope.org, accessed 31 December 2009
=Comparison with Great Britain=
In the 2011 census Northern Ireland had substantially more people stating that they were Christian (82.2%) than did England (59.4%), Scotland (53.8%) or Wales (57.6%).{{cite web|title=NISRA|url=http://www.nisra.gov.uk/|website=NISRA|access-date=30 December 2015}}{{cite web|title=Scotland's Census|url=http://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/|website=Scotland's census|publisher=Scottish government|access-date=30 December 2015}}{{cite web|title=Office of National Statistics|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/census/2011/uk-census/index.html|publisher=ons|access-date=30 December 2015}}{{cite web|title=Office of National Statistics|url=http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/census-population/?lang=en|website=The Welsh Government|publisher=Welsh government|access-date=30 December 2015|archive-date=15 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115232319/http://gov.wales/statistics-and-research/census-population/?lang=en|url-status=dead}} The proportion who stated that they had any religion was also higher in Northern Ireland (83%) than in England (68.1%), Scotland (56.3%) or Wales (60.3%). In Northern Ireland those who did not state any religion in the 2011 census amounted to 13.9% of the population, lower than in England (31.9%), Scotland (43.7%) or Wales (39.7%). This represented an increase from the 2001 census in those not stating a religion of 11.7% in Northern Ireland, lower than the increases in England (54.5%), Scotland (38.1%) or Wales (57.6%).
Secularisation in Northern Ireland has followed different paths within each of the two main communities, being at a more advanced stage within the mainly Protestant community in which it is reflected more often with a formal move away from the churches and by expressing no formal religious attachment, mirroring the pattern in Great Britain, whereas in the mainly Catholic community it is reflected by declining mass attendance but often with retaining a formal Catholic identification, mirroring the pattern in the Republic of Ireland.{{cite web|title=Research Update|url=http://www.ark.ac.uk/publications/updates/update41.pdf|website=ARK|access-date=31 December 2015}} Those stating that they had no religion in the 2011 census were concentrated in largely Protestant areas, suggesting that they were mostly from a Protestant background.
=Comparison with the Republic of Ireland=
In their respective 2011 censuses Northern Ireland had a lower proportion of people stating that they were Christian (82.3%) than the Republic of Ireland (90.4%) and had a higher proportion of people stating that they had no religion or not indicating a religious belief (16.9%) than the Republic of Ireland (7.6%). While in the 2011 census 84.2% of people in the Republic of Ireland identified themselves as Catholic in the 2011 census in Northern Ireland only 40.8% identified themselves as Catholic.
Minor religions
=Islam=
{{main|Islam in Northern Ireland}}
While there were a small number of Muslims already living in what became Northern Ireland in 1921, the bulk of Muslims in Northern Ireland today come from families who have immigrated since the late 20th century. At the time of the 2011 Census there were 3,832 living in Northern Ireland,[http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/Census/Census2001Output/KeyStatistics/keystats.html Northern Ireland Census 2001 Key Statistics] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091122204353/http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census/Census2001Output/KeyStatistics/keystats.html |date=22 November 2009 }} although by the 2021 census, the Muslim population stood at 10,870 (or 0.57% of the population). The Belfast Islamic Centre states that roughly half of the Muslim population lives in Belfast alone.{{Cite web|url=http://belfastislamiccentre.org.uk/index.php/history/|title=History – Belfast Islamic Centre|access-date=4 June 2019|archive-date=24 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124212802/http://belfastislamiccentre.org.uk/index.php/history/|url-status=dead}} The Muslims in Northern Ireland come from over 40 countries of origin, from Western Europe all the way through to the Far East.{{Cite web|url=http://www.belfastislamiccentre.org.uk/about_us/about_us.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008110211/http://www.belfastislamiccentre.org.uk/about_us/about_us.htm|url-status=dead|title=Belfast Islamic Centre|archivedate=8 October 2009}} This situation is reflected in comparably complex institutional arrangements.Scharbrodt, Oliver, "Islam in Ireland: organising a migrant religion". 318 – 336 in Olivia Cosgrove et al. (eds), Ireland's new religious movements. Cambridge Scholars, 2011; {{ISBN|978-1-4438-2588-7}}
=Judaism=
{{main|History of the Jews in Northern Ireland}}
The earliest recorded Jew living in Northern Ireland was a tailor by the name of Manuel Lightfoot in 1652. The first Jewish congregation in Northern Ireland, Belfast Hebrew Congregation, was founded in 1870. In 2006, there were an estimated 300 Jewish people living in Northern Ireland.{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Ireland.html#north|title=Ireland: Virtual Jewish History tour|publisher=Jewish Virtual Library|access-date=11 August 2013}}
=Baháʼí Faith=
{{main|Baháʼí Faith in Northern Ireland}}
The Baháʼí Faith in Northern Ireland begins after a century of contact between Irishmen and Baháʼís beyond the island and on the island.{{Cite news | title = Baha'is (sic) mark killing of founder | newspaper = belfasttelegraph.co.uk | date = 12 July 2005 | url = http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/imported/bahais-mark-killing-of-founder-13707031.html | access-date = 2 June 2010}}{{Cite web | last = Palin | first = Iain S. | title = The First Irish Baháʼís | work = U.K. Baháʼí Heritage Site | url =http://www.btinternet.com/~iain.s.palin/heritage/irish.htm | access-date = 31 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110916143722/http://www.btinternet.com/~iain.s.palin/heritage/irish.htm|archive-date=16 September 2011}}{{Cite journal| last = Armstrong-Ingram | first = R. Jackson | title = Early Irish Baháʼís : Issues of Religious, Cultural, and National Identity | journal = Research Notes in Shaykhi, Babi and Baháʼí Studies | volume = 02 | issue = 4 | date = July 1998 | url =http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/notes/vol2/irish.htm| access-date = 31 May 2010}} The members of the religion elected its first Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assembly in 1949 in Belfast.{{Cite journal | title = History and Inspiration | journal = CommuNIqué-Newsletter of the Baháʼí Community in Northern Ireland | issue = 106 | publisher = Baháʼí Council for Northern Ireland | date = 1 June 2005 | url =http://www.bahaicouncil-ni.org.uk/comm/106/kath.htm| access-date = 31 May 2010}} The Baháʼís held an international conference in Dublin in 1982 which was described as “…one of the very few occasions when a world event for a faith community has been held in Ireland".{{Cite journal | title = Book Review; The Faiths of Ireland by Stephen Skuce | journal = CommuNIqué – Newsletter of the Baháʼí Community in Northern Ireland | issue = 123| publisher = Baháʼí Council for Northern Ireland | date = 1 December 2006 | url =http://www.bahaicouncil-ni.org.uk/comm/123/bookrev.htm| access-date = 31 May 2010}} By 1993 there were a dozen assemblies in Northern Ireland.{{Cite encyclopedia | last = Momen | first = Moojan | title = Baháʼí History of the United Kingdom | encyclopedia = Articles for the Baháʼí Encyclopedia | url = http://www.northill.demon.co.uk/relstud/uk.htm | access-date = 31 May 2010 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206045054/http://www.northill.demon.co.uk/relstud/uk.htm | archive-date = 6 February 2012 | df = dmy-all }} By 2005 Baháʼí sources claim some 300 Baháʼís across Northern Ireland.{{Cite web | title = Religious Education Core Syllabus | work = Statements on Matters of Public Interest / Concern | publisher = Baháʼí Council for Northern Ireland | date = 25 November 2003 | url =http://www.btinternet.com/~iain.s.palin/bc4ni/stance/re.htm|access-date = 3 June 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403051740/http://www.btinternet.com/~iain.s.palin/bc4ni/stance/re.htm|archive-date=3 April 2012}}
=Hinduism=
{{main|Hinduism in Northern Ireland}}
Hinduism is a relatively minor religion in Northern Ireland with only around 200 Hindu families in the region.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/4_11/pfocus/citizenship/spring2001/ Programme 1 – Indian Community] bbc.c.uk, accessed 10 January 2009 There are, however, three Mandirs in Belfast and by the 2021 census the Hindu population had risen to 4,190 (or 0.22% of the population).
History
=The Troubles=
{{main|The Troubles}}
The Troubles were a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from approximately 1968 to the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998. Violence nonetheless continued beyond this period and still manifests on a small-scale basis.{{cite web|url = http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/sutton/index.html |title = Draft List of Deaths Related to the Conflict. 2002– |access-date = 31 July 2008}}
The principal issues at stake in the Troubles were the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and the relationship between the mainly Protestant Unionist and mainly Catholic Nationalist communities in Northern Ireland. The Troubles had both political and military (or paramilitary) dimensions. Its participants included politicians and political activists on both sides, republican and loyalist paramilitary organisations, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the British Army and the security forces of the Republic of Ireland.
See also
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.catholicbishops.ie Homepage of the Irish Bishops' Conference (Catholic)]
- [http://www.catholicireland.net CatholicIreland.net, Content-rich portal of the Catholic Church in Ireland]
- [http://www.presbyterianireland.org Presbyterian Church in Ireland]
- [http://www.ireland.anglican.org Church of Ireland]
- [http://www.irishmethodist.org Methodist Church in Ireland]
- [http://baptistsinireland.org/ Association of Baptist Churches in Ireland]
- [http://www.agireland.org/ Assemblies of God Ireland]
{{Europe topic|Religion in}}
{{Northern Ireland topics}}
{{United Kingdom topics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Religion In Northern Ireland}}